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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. W. FISKE.

l AMALGAMATING APPARATUS.

No. 460,305. Patentedept. 29, 1891,.

VZW/ease@ v (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. W. FISKE.

AMALGAMATANG APPARATUS.

No. 460,305-, Patented Sept. 29, 1891.

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER lV. FISKE, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

AMALGAMATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,305, dated September 29, 1891.

Application filed January 15,1891. Serial No. 377,789- (No model.)

To all whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, HOMER W. Fisxn, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in'Amalgamating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in amalgamating apparatus in which the mineral pulp, water, and quicksilver are fed to stirrers and mixers and thence to one or more moving amalgamated plates.

The object is to provide fora thorough and complete mixing of the pulp with the water and quicksilver, the automatic cleaning of the amalgamated plates, the free escape of the waste, the exclusion of oil, theincasing of the precious amalgam to prevent its unintentional removal, and a simple and light structure and arrangement of the parts, so that the apparatus as a whole may be readily transported. y

lith these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in whichh Figure l represents the apparatus in vertical longitudinal section, the plane of the section being denoted by line x of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an end view, and Fig. 3 is a top plan view with a portion of the casing removed to show the stirrers and mixers.

A suitable supporting-frame consisting in the present instance of a base A and standards (t a', braces a2, and brackets a3 and at and the necessary cross-beams a5 a6 and such other supporting-beams as may be found necessary, serve to support the receiver, the mixin g-chamber, and the amalgamating-chamber in such positions with respect to one another that the mingled water, Quicksilver, and pulp will iiow by gravity from the' receiver into Athe mixing-chamber, thence into the amalgamating-chamber, and thence to the waste-conduit and to the safe for the precious amalgam.

B denotes the receiver divided, preferably, into two compartments by a partition b,whieh, by a door b at the bottom, establishes communication between the two compartments.

along the bottom of the receiver from the compartment into which they are discharged. From the receiver B the mingled quicksilver, water, and ore pass through a conduit h6 into the mixing-chamber O. The mixing-chamber C consists of two cylindrical-shaped portions, united` along their adjacent sides so as to form a single chamber, and centrally within each one of these cylindrical-shaped portions there is located a revolving stirrer and mixer constructed as follows: A pair of end wheels or disks c are connected at their peripheries by longitudinal bars c', which, for the purpose of securing lightness and strength, I provide on their inner sides with a rib c2, which gradually increases in depth from the ends to their central portions. The number of longitudinal ribs c2 may be four, more or less. Ip the present instance I have shown four, located at equal distances apart and having removably secured to their outer faces a series of diagonal blades c3, projecting outwardly from the face of the bars. By making the series of blades removable, they may be renewed at slight expense as they become worn or broken. In the present instance l have shown the series of blades as fastened to the wheels or disks by end screws c4. (See Fig. 3.) Each succeeding series .of blades is slanted in the opposite direction. The wheels or disks c are fixed to journals c5, which project through the ends of the mixing-chamber C and rest in suitable bearings c in the ends of brackets c7, lixed to the outer faces of the ends of the chamber. A second stirrer, quite similar in its structure to that just described, is located in the opposite cylindrical-shaped portion of the chamber C, and the two stirrers are connected to rotate together, in the present instance by means of a band or belt D,

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. fixed thereto for such purpose.

which engages pulleys d, fixed to the ends of the journals c5. One of the journals c5 is also further provided on its outer end with a beveled faced friction-wheel d for transmitting motion to the amalgamating-plates, as will hereinafter appear. Motion is transmitted from a suitable source of power (not shown) to one of the journals c5, a pulley d'1 being It is obvious that the journals c5 may be either fixed to the Wheels or disks c separately, or they may form parts of a single shaft extending transversely through the chamber C. The journals c5, at the opposite ends of one of the stirrers, are provided outside of t-he casing with cranks d2, which by suitable connecting-rods d3 serve to work a pump for purposes which will hereinafter appear.

Intermediate between the two cylindricalshaped portions of the chamber C and at its lower side and ashort distance above the bottom of each there is located an opening c7, through which the mixed ore, quicksilver, and water after they have been thoroughly agitated by the stirrers escape into a conduit o8, which leads downwardly to the amalgamatingchamber E. Thelatteris made of cylindrical form, and access to the interior thereof is gained by a door e, hinged at. onel side and provided with a suitable lock F, by which it may be kept closed, and access to the interior of the amalgamating-chamber is obtained only by the person holding the key to the lock.

Within the' amalgamating-chamber E there is a rotary shaft ep', the ends of which project through the ends of the chamber E and are journaled outside of the chamber in suitable brackets e2. On the shaft e', within the chamarms e3 are fixed, the corresponding arms of said wheels forming supports for copper plates e4. The' arms e3 project outwardly beyond the plates e4, and are adapted to support the copper plates e5 edgewise toward the axis of the wheels and at right angles tothe plates c4 in a position resembling that of the paddles of a paddle-wheel. The plates etand e5 are removably secured to the ends of the supporting-arms in any suitable manner-for example, by grooves e, into which they may be slid at' their ends, and secured therein by catches e7. The arms e3 are of such length that the plates e5 will be supported with their outer edges in proximity to the inner wall of the chamber. Motion is communicated to the shaft e and hence to the' plates e5 by means of a worm-Wheel f, fixed on the shaft e', and engaged by a worm f on a shaft f2, the opposite end of said shaft being provided with a beveled friction-wheel f3, the face of which engages the bevel-face of the wheel d', fixed to one of the journals c5, as hereinbefore referred to'.

An opening e8 is provided in the side of the amalgamating-chamber E at a point above the bottom thereof for the discharge of the tailings or waste as it accumulates upon the surface of the mercury G, deposited in the bottom of the chamber. An outlet-pipe g for the precious amalgam leads from the bottom of the chamber E upwardly'to a point on a level with the point at which it is desired to sustain the mercury G within the chamber and thence downwardly into the safe H, which may be of any well-known and approved structure. The free mercury from the safe H passes through a pipe 7?, of a force-pump I, of any welleknown and suitable construction,

1 from which it is forced through a pipe t' up into the mercury-bag?)4 to be again deposited in the receiver B to mingle with the ore and water. The pump I is driven by the connecting-rods d3, engaged with the cranks d?, as hereinbefore referred to. As the plates e5 are moved continuously through the mercury G at the bottom of the chamberE and accu mulate upon their faces the precious amalgam, they are automatically wiped and cleaned by contact with the depending end 7c of a wiper K, which leads from a tank L, containing a solution of cyanide of potassium. The wiper K is of such absorbent material that it will hold in suspension a constant supply of the cyanidel of potassium from the tank, and as it is drawn across the faces of the plates so wipes and cleans them that they will be in condition for retaining a maximum amount of the-precious amalgam'. The platese4' stand in such relation to the plates e5 that they will E receive the drippings therefrom, and thus materially increase the capacity of the amalgamator. As the plates become loaded they may be removed as they pass opposite the door aand fresh ones substituted therefor, so that the process may go on continuously.

ber E, spider-Wheels provided with radial By the above arrangement the ore, either Wet or dry, may be constantly fed and thoroughly mixed with the water and quicksilver before it reaches the amalgamating-chamber, and when in the amalgamating-chamber it is constantly agitated and broughtinto contact with the collecting-plates, soy that avery com- IOO IIO

plete removal of the precious amalgam is effected, While any residue of precious amalgam is transmitted to the safe I-I.` The work of keeping the amalgamated plates bright and clean and in condition to take up their heavy load is automatically accomplished in avery simple and effective way while the several parts of the apparatus are so lightly constructed and so compactly arranged that they may be transported conveniently over rough roads.

The apparatus also has a furtherv merit of being simple and inexpensive, and the journals being located entirely without the chambers the oil is not liable to get into the chambers and disturb the amalgamation. By doing away with any grinding action there is no liability of flouring the mercury, and the losscommonly entailed by such fiouring is avoided.

1. The combination, with the inclosed anual IZO gamating-chamberand the series of removable collecting-plates having a movement successively through the amalgam within the chamber, of the flexible porous Wiper depending within the chamber in the path of the plates, and the receptacle for supplying the wiper Wi th a cleaning substance, one end of the wiper resting Within the receptacle, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the ore, Water, and Quicksilver supply, of the mixing-chamber in communication therewith, and the two rotary mixers located Within the chamber and having a series of removable blades secured to the peripheries of the rotary frames, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, With the amalgamating-chamber having an opening in its side for the discharge of tailings, anda series of moving collecting-plates Within the chamber, of a safe and a closed pipe leading from the bottom ofthe chamber to the safe and extending to a point above the bottom of the chamber to determine the height of amalgam within the chamber, substantially asset fort-h.

4. The amalgamating apparatus comprising the receiver in Which the ore, Water, and quicksilver are received, the inclosed mixingchamber located below and in communication with the receiver, the rotary stirrers Within the mixing-chamber, the inolosed amalgamating-chamber located below and in communication With the mixing-chamber, the revolving series of removable collecting-plates Within the amalgamating-chamber, and the Wiper in the path of the plates, the safe in communication with the bottom of the amalgamating-chamber, and the pump for returning the free mercury to the receiver, substantially as set forth.

HOMER W. FISKE.

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, L. N. LEGENDRE. 

